As a volunteer answering calls on the CRUSE charity helpline…bereavement has been on my mind all morning.
We live life as if we will never die and then when it happens that a close friend or family member dies, we are forced to confront the temporary nature of life.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve nor is there a specific time limit. We are all different and we all will experience bereavement at some time in our lives.
It astounds me how death is still a taboo subject, kept in the background. Perhaps if we embraced the next chapter, so to speak, we would live our lives with more meaning and purpose?
Myths and facts about grief:
MYTH: The pain will go away faster if you ignore it.
Fact: Trying to ignore your pain or keep it from surfacing will only make it worse in the long run. For real healing it is necessary to face your grief and actively deal with it.
MYTH: It’s important to be be strong in the face of loss.
Fact: Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to loss. Crying doesn’t mean you are weak. You don’t need to protect your family or friends by putting on a brave front. Showing your true feelings can help them and you.
MYTH: If you don’t cry, it means you aren’t sorry about the loss.
Fact: Crying is a normal response to sadness, but it’s not the only one. Those who don’t cry may feel the pain just as deeply as others. They may simply have other ways of showing it.
MYTH: Grief should last about a year.
Fact: There is no right or wrong time frame for grieving. How long it takes can differ from person to person.
M xx
All names have been changed to protect the identity of clients. Personal client stories shared in this blog have been published with prior permission from the relevant clients.
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